A HEAVENLY GIFT FROM OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WHO LOVES US!
BIBLE PASSAGE:
“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in
heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
(Luke 11:13)
MEDITATION:
Before He left His disciples, Christ promised that He would send a
Comforter to help them in the trials, challenges, and temptations of
life. The word ‘comforter’ is described as
“a person or thing that provides consolation”.
The Comforter Jesus promised is not a thing, but He is the Holy
Spirit; the powerful Third Person of the Trinity.
When God saves us, He begins the process of sanctifying us. Why does
He do that? He knows our extra baggage of unrighteousness that needs
to removed from us so we can live a more righteous life, which will be
the testimony of our faith to others.
What is His ultimate purpose in purging us of all unrighteousness? God
wants us to ‘discard our old self’ and ‘put on our new self’. In order to do
that, He needs to fill us with more of the righteousness of His Son, Jesus.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life,
to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its
deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your
minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God
in true righteousness and holiness.
(Ephesians 4:22-24)
The Holy Spirit not only comforts and consoles us, but He also provides
guidance to help us in our efforts to ‘put on the new self’, and live more
righteous lives. When we have received salvation from God, we will face
many challenges as we strive to live righteous lives in a world filled with
unrighteousness. God knows that, and He knows our vulnerability to the
temptations surrounding us, so He has blessed us with the Holy Spirit.
From the moment we are born again, we were given the opportunity to
ask our Heavenly Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit to live actively in
our hearts. We may not feel Him there emotionally, but we need to have
confidence in our faith in Jesus and believe that the Holy Spirit is with us.
How does that prove our faith? It confirms our faith, because we believe
the promise of Jesus that we would have Holy Spirit as our advocate and
comforter. Jesus told the disciples (and us) that He would be resurrected,
from death, and when He was, He would send us the Holy Spirit. We have
a responsibility to believe it, and accept it, as a confirmation of our faith.
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am
going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not
come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
(John 16:7)
It is the Holy Spirit who helps us to show others (and ourselves) that the
love of God is dwelling within our hearts. We can verify that He is living
in us when we see how He has produced the fruits of the Spirit in us:
“love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, self-control.”
We don’t have the capability to manufacture this type of spiritual fruit
in our own strength; it is supernaturally created by the Holy Spirit who
lives in our hearts!
In spite of our unworthiness, we are given some magnificent and delightful
gifts from God. We are given forgiveness for our sins, a path to salvation,
heavenly love from the Father and the Son, spiritual gifts for serving the
Lord, and the list goes on and on. But we should realize and never forget,
that God also gives the Holy Spirit (promised by Jesus Himself) to those
who ask. Yes, we need to ASK God for the Holy Spirit.
ACTION:
Have you asked the Father for the Holy Spirit? Have you acknowledged
His presence in your own life? Do you call on Him to help you with your
efforts to live righteously, to calm you during your times of anxiety and
turmoil, and to give you clear direction for making decisions?
We were not given the Comforter so that He would become a dormant
being within us. The Holy Spirit should be alive and active in our life
as He helps us conform to the righteous life that makes it possible for
us to receive the fruits of the Spirit, which will change our lives.
We have seen the reason and the benefits of the Holy Spirit in our lives,
but like we hear in info commercials, “Wait there’s more!”. The Holy
Spirit also prays our prayers for us when we struggle expressing our
heartfelt needs and desires. If we are ever burdened so much about
something that we are hampered when we try to pray about it, the
Holy Spirit intercedes for us and through His groanings, God hears
our prayers.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the
pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so,
but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan
inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the
redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But
hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they
already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we
wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our
weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the
Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And
He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because
the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will
of God.
(Romans 8:22-27)
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I pray that You would provide me with
the Holy Spirit and help me to make Him an active part of
my life. Teach me how to call upon Him whenever I need
comforting, consoling, strengthening, encouraging, and
guidance. Help me to remember that He is a gift from You,
and that He is able to calm my fears and anxieties. When I
am in distress, remind me of His presence and give me the
confidence that He will provide what I need. Thank You
Father for the amazing gift of the Comforter in my life! I
praise You for Your Holy Spirit, who guides me, helps me
to live a more righteous life, nourishes the fruits of the Spirit
(so that others might see You in my life), and prays my prayers
for me when I struggle expressing the needs and desires of my
heart.”
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